The Traditional generation
The Traditional generation is the oldest generation in the workplace, although most are now retired. Also known as the veterans, the Silents, the Silent generation, the matures, the greatest generation, this generation includes individuals born before 1945, and some sources place the earliest birth year to 1922 (www.valueoptions.com). Members of this generation [traditionals] were influenced by the great depression and World War II among other events and have been described as being conservative and disciplined, as having a sense of obligation, and as observing fiscal restraint (Niemic, 2002). They have been described as liking formality and a top down chain of command, as needing respect, and as preferring to make decisions based on what worked in the past (Kersten, 2002). Members of this generation have been characterized as the private, silent generation, who believe in paying their dues, for whom their word is their bond, who prefer formality, have a great deal of respect for authority, like social order and who love their things and tend to hoard stuff. Members of this generation have also been characterized as loyal workers, highly dedicated, averse to risk and strongly committed toward teamwork and collaboration. They have also been described as having a high regard for developing communication skills, and as the most affluent elderly population in the U.S., due to their tendency to save and conserve (Jenkins, 2007). At work, they are presumed to show consistency and uniformity, seek out technological advancements, be past-oriented, display command-and-control leadership reminiscent of military operations, and prefer hierarchical organizational structures. They are likely to continue to view horizontal structures in a hierarchical way (www.valueoptions.com). Also they are more likely to be stable, detail oriented, thorough, loyal, and hardworking, although they may be inept with ambiguity and change, reluctant to buck the system, uncomfortable with conflict, and reticent when they disagree (Zemke et al., 2000).
The Baby Boom generation
Most sources identify Baby Boomers as people born between 1943 and 1965. The U.S. Census Bureau defines Baby Boomers (Boomers) as individuals born between 1946 and 1964. The Baby Boom generation has also been referred to as the “pig-in-the-python” (Callanan & Greenhaus, 2008). This generation is referred to as the Baby Boom, because of the extra seventeen million babies born during that period relative to previous census figures (O’Bannon, 2001). It has had the largest impact on American society due to its size — roughly 78 million- and the period during which it came of age. Boomers witnessed and partook in the political and social turmoil of their time: the Vietnam War, the civil rights riots, the Kennedy and King assassinations, Watergate and the sexual revolution (Bradford, 1963) as well as Woodstock (Adams, 2000) and the freewheeling 60’s (Niemiec, 2000). Protesting against power characterized the formative years of many of the individuals now in leadership positions in numerous organizations.
Boomers were raised to respect authority figures, but as they witnessed their foibles, learned not to “trust anyone over 30” (Karp, Fuller, & Sirias, 2002). They grew up in an era of “prosperity and optimism and bolstered by the sense that they are a special generation capable of changing the world, have equated work with self-worth, contribution and personal fulfillment” (p.270.Yang & Guy, 2006). The oldest Baby Boomers turned 62 in 2008, and as a whole, this generation is now in the mid to late part of their careers. The entirety of this generation will reach the traditional retirement age of 65 within the next 25 years (Callanan & Greenhaus, 2008).
Boomers have been characterized as individuals who believe that hard work and sacrifice are the price to pay for success. They started the workaholic trend and believe in paying their dues and step-by-step promotion (CLC, 2001; Rath, 1999). They also like teamwork, collaboration and group decision-making (www.valueoptions.com; Zemke et al., 2000), are competitive, and believe in loyalty toward their employers (Karp et al., 2002).
Boomers are often confident task completers (www.valueoptions.com), and may be insulted by constant feedback, although they want their achievements to be recognized (Glass, 2007). Some have described them as being more process- than result-oriented (Zemke et al., 2000), although they have also been characterized as being goal-oriented (www.valueoptions.com). Many are accepting of diversity, optimistic (Zemke et al., 2000), liberal (Niemic, 2002), and conflict avoidant (Zemke, et al., 2000; valueoptions.com). They value health and wellness as well as personal growth and personal gratification (Zemke et al., 2000), and seek job security.
Finally, Boomers have been described as having a sense of entitlement, and as being good at relationships, reluctant to go against peers and judgments of others who do not see things their way (Zemke et al., 2000). They also thrive on the possibility for change, have been described as the show me generation, and will fight for a cause even though they do not like problems. They value the chain of command, may be technically challenged and expect authority (Rath, 1999).
Generation X
In a study about the civic engagement of Generation X, the U.S. Census Bureau defined this segment of the population as consisting of individuals born between 1968 and 1979. However, the upper limit of Generation X in some cases has been as high as 1982, while the lower limit has been as low as 1963 (Karp et al., 2002). This generation was also called the baby bust generation, because of its small size relative to the generation that preceded it, the Baby Boom generation. The term Generation X spread into popular parlance following the publication of Douglas Coupland’s book about a generation of individuals who would come of age at the end of the 20th century.
Members of Generation X (Xers) are the children of older boomers, who grew up in a period of financial, familial and societal insecurity. They witnessed their parents get laid off and the decline of the American global power. They grew up with a stagnant job market, corporate downsizing, and limited wage mobility, and are the first individuals predicted to earn less than their parents did. They have grown up in homes where both parents worked, or in single parent household because of high divorce rates, and as a result, became latchkey kids forced to fend for themselves (Karp et al., 2002). They were influenced by MTV, AIDS and worldwide competition and are accustomed to receiving instant feedback from playing computer and video games (O’Bannon, 2001).
Among the characteristics attributed to Xers, the following appear most often. They aspire more than previous generations to achieve a balance between work and life. They are more independent, autonomous and self-reliant than previous generations (Jenkins, 2007; Zemke et al., 2000) having grown up as latchkey kids. They are not overly loyal to their employers, although they have strong feelings of loyalty towards their family and friends (Karp et al., 2002). They value continuous learning and skill development. They have strong technical skills (Zemke et al., 2000), are results focused, and are “ruled by a sense of accomplishment and not the clock” (Joyner, 2000). Xers naturally question authority figures and are not intimidated by them. Money does not necessarily motivate members of this generation, but the absence of money might lead them to lose motivation (Karp et al., 2002). They like to receive feedback, are adaptable to change and prefer flexible schedules (Joyner, 2000). They can tolerate work as long as it is fun (Karp et al., 2002). They are entrepreneurial and creative. Although they are individualistic, they may also like teamwork, more so than boomers (Karp et al., 2002).
Generation Y
Generation Y was born in the 80’s and 90’s. The label associated with this generation is not yet finalized. Current labels include Millenials, Nexters, Generation www, and the Digital generation, Generation E, Echo Boomers, N-Gens and the Net Generation. Members of the generation have labeled themselves as the Non-Nuclear Family generation, the Nothing-Is-Sacred Generation, the Wannabees, the Feel-Good Generation, Cyberkids, the Do-or-Die Generation, and the Searching-for-an-Identity Generation (Campton & Hodge, 2006).
This generation has been shaped by parental excesses, computers (Niemiec, 2000), and dramatic technological advances. One of the most frequently reported characteristics of this generation is their comfort with technology (Kersten, 2002). In general, Generation Y shares many of the characteristics of Xers. They value team work and collective action, embrace diversity, are optimistic , and are adaptable to change. Furthermore, they seek flexibility, are independent, desire a more balanced life, are multi-taskers, and are the most highly educated generation (Campton & Hodge, 2006). They also value training. They have been characterized as demanding, and as the most confident generation (Glass, 2007). Like Xers, they are also more likely to be entrepreneurial, and as being less process focused (Crampton & Hodge, 2006).
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